Who Doesn't Use Scripts?

[ToxicRamen]

I know that scripts is an important part of creating a comic since it helps lays out the story but I'm not much of writer so I'm wondering is there anybody that doesn't use scripts at all for their stories? I know that scripts are written out by the writers to help the artist to see how the story should drawn out but since I'm doing both the art and the writing, I usually lay out the stories in thumbnails like a storyboard artist. But I wasn't sure if anybody else feels the same way since most "How to Write Comic Books" books would always show sample scripts in order to show how a comic book story is written out.

[ghostnxs]

I've always been told to write a script so I try to force myself to. I find no enjoyment in writing a script. So I at least I attempt to make an outline.

[foervraengd]

It totally depends on what kind of story and how long it will be.
For shorter one-offs that might just be 5-10 pages I usually start with the storyboard and then focus on the dialogue.
But if I plan to do a longer story it's always best to at least do a simple summary of how the story will turn out.
I usually only write the rough draft of a script in order to make sure I don't forget the ideas that pop up in my head. I usually write down each scene in my head as a list (like for example the 3-act method which is commonly used in western movies). And then I connect the main scenes by adding smaller events between them that links them together. Each scene/event are not longer than one or two sentences, so my scripts are often very simple and short. The rest are done by drawing.

[Jeffersslippers]

Before i don't use script because im just a newbie at indie publishing but now i right it down panel by panel.

[Kayke]

The only time I could see not using a script at all would be for a gag comic?

Your scripts don't have to be super word heavy if you're just writing for yourself and doing thumbnails anyway. Here's an example of a page of script and a page of comic for me.

As you can see I didn't really get into anything like what clothes they were wearing or the setting or their facial expressions, because I could see all that stuff in my mind. And I didn't go into the page layout because I do that while thumbnailing. Also, the dialog tends to change a little bit from script to comic, since I'm constantly editing and making the dialog seem more natural as I go.

Personally, I would be completely lost if I didn't have a script broken down by pages. If you're doing a comic that is going to have an on going plot, it's good to know what happens and when. A script can help you set pacing and also make sure you don't go off onto tangents. Half of making comics is the story telling aspect (or jokes I guess for gag comics) so you can't really neglect that because it's not your favorite part.

[Chopythes]

I've never worked with scripts, mainly because I don't know how to work that out.
Thumb-nailing has been my way to go, but I tend to make it chapter-wise, the longest chapter I've made thumbs for were more than 50 pages.
A lot of the things I've thought out never makes it into the comic. Mainly because it's not fit at all.

My thumbs are my gods when it comes to sketching out the pages later on, but I usually make slight changes to the pages later.

I keep my ideas in my head until I decide to sketch them down. When I write things down, I forget about them, which is why I never, ever write things down D: It just dissapears from my head, even when I read the thing I've written. When I illustrate said things, I know EXACTLY what I was going for when I drew said thing.
I once read a book about writing: "Great ideas comes twice." and I've kinda kept myself to that and it works out for me.

[joannekwan]

I think you can go without a script as long as you do thumbnails, but please include the dialogue and make sure that it works and is error-free.

[GlenMiles]

I try my damnedest to write out a script but I usually end up editing things that worked in the scripting phase when I get to my thumbnailing anyway. So I'd say a lot of the time my script becomes irrelevant as the characters motivations and their language comes through in the acting when I finally start to draw them out. But even still it's very effective to have around and I highly advice in using one, even if it is just a rough outline you scribble onto a legal pad.

[Tanisha]

I've been trying my best to write out a script but most of the time things happen differently while making the page or I move scenes to a different chapter?? They say it's suppose to keep you organized but it does no such thing for me =w=/~

[whydocowsfall]

I hate having to describe too much with words but I draw out thumbnails for each page with what's going to happen and make sure I write down at the very least whatever dialogue I want to appear on the page. Though I also write out a summary of all the chapters and I think that when I start storyboarding the next one (which is going to be pretty plot and dialogue heavy) I'll definitely want to put much more detail in the page plans... So it sort of depends what you're doing but as most people have said, it's good to get structure and I'd say it's best to do as much scripting as you can bear. It will help you a lot!

[natchevil]

I've tried to use scripts. I lose interest fast.

Instead I've found my footing by writing an outline, writing the dialogue as I pencil, then after I ink, I fix the spelling and edit the text as needed to sound natural. I do this at least 10 pages at a time, usually 20-30 pages. Never from one page to the next.

It's a very by-the-seat-of-my-pants approach, but it keeps me interested in the story because I love not knowing exactly what will happen.

[feldiarts]

Scripts only make sense, when you're creating a long paste story.
Stuff like shortstorys are better when you just write/draw a little storyboard.
In some cases Storyboards can help for longer stories too, but I wouldn't recommend it.

[jmhenry]

I tend to do small summaries of the main points in the chapters before I get into the thumbnailing, usually 1-2 sentences per scene. Just enough to have it in memory long enough for my imagination to fill in dialogue, transitions, etc.

Ex:
[morning] Bikkel the clown wakes up and gets ready for another round of scheduled birthday gigs. Bikkel, bored out of his mind, wishes something interesting would happen before leaving his house.

Bikkel chats with some old friends and then grabs the train to his first gig, Bikkel arrives at the location after some personal monologue and gets off the train.

Bikkel the Clown explodes.
[End Chapter]

After I've got all that down, it's usually in memory and I never really have to look at it again. How well this works, though, depends on the person, and maybe your ability to improv a bit.

[Menbung]

It totally depends on the artist, I have done scripts, but mostly to have an idea of the dialogues for each scene and to write some ideas of what I want to draw. But you can go without them.

If you're not going to make em, yeah, some sort of thumbnails is a must. There are a lot of pros that work this way, they do rough thumbnails of the scenes they want to draw, adding the dialogue and word balloons on those rough panels.

Scripting is more of a western method, you have a writer that makes it, and then the artist translates it to drawings. But if you're the one that writes and draws, mebbe you could skip some steps to optimise your game plan.

Either way is fine, like I said, it depends on the artist =P

[qcbl]

Thumbnails and no script can work if you still work out a plot summary before beginning thumbnails. If you can break the story down page by page at least. This helps with pacing of the story so you get an idea of how fast plot points will move and can avoid cramping a story or dragging it out. Then do the thumbnails then dialogue that could work for you.

[chacsan]

I think it's hard to write a script and follow it. I know where the story is going, so I usually think of rough dialogue and stuff as I come closer to a scene and by the time I get to those pages I know how I want it to pan out, but the exact dialogue is really hard to get down without the images. It's hard to think with words instead of images, it just becomes a mess to me.

[Shiori_Saku]

Day to day gag comics dont really need scripts or outlines as they are ONE SHOT pieces but for stories that are going to last more than a handful of panels it's best to have some idea of where your beginning, middle, and end are.

This doesnt mean that your story cant evolve and change as it goes but you want to know where your going to end up so your creative juices dont piddle out halfway through a story arch. I've read to many stories that either were NEVER finished or they had really weak, disappointing, endings because the author/creator didnt know where they were going with the story when they started and either got bored or just tried to wrap it up quickly when they hit a rough patch. This kind of disappointing storytelling leaves your readers hangry for more.

Here's an example of the script I wrote for my comic Star Watcher. You'll notice that whats written in the script and what actually makes it into the panels is a bit different. That's a good example of script evolution. Your script need not be super-detailed or lengthy. In most cases creators use it as a guide to make sure they stay on track with the major themes and plot of the story.

“What do you want, no name?” The tiger asks, yawing.
“I found a star. How do I get it back to the sky?”
The tiger sits up. It looks at the puppy. The puppy stares at it.
“Where would you find a star? You are not lying are you?” The tiger frowns

[VaoMamago]

Never use scripts.
Just because the story is in my head already. I have one more reason actually, if you have prepared script and you drawing and want to change something in the story - you must change the script.
Too inconvenient =/

[kazukitakamura126]

I believe you should a script to lay out the groundwork for your story that way the information in the story all connects and you can refer back to it. I have made some changes to my comic but I don't change it in the outline because that is a rough idea of what it is and allows for flexible when a certain element must be changed.

[Hug_Mug]

If it's a long story and without a script then the story will descend into complete garbage fairly quickly. It will be full of plot holes, most likely lack decent character development and be devoid many literary techniques such as foreshadowing. I doubt there is any writer in the world who could pull off a decent long story without planning it properly.

If the comic is a gag comic or a comic with recurring characters that are in different situations every week and has no continuing plot then a script is unecessary.

However, I see so many SPG mistakes on comics here that could have been fixed with a simple spelling check in word. So, for that reason it probably is always a good idea to have something written down.